The event takes place Saturday at HMV Forum in London and streams live on MMAjunkie.com beginning at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT (9 p.m. BT local time).

It feels just like yesterday when Foster was gaining momentum inside the UFC welterweight division after consecutive wins via stoppage over veterans Forrest Petz and Matt Brown.

A win over his next scheduled opponent Sean Pierson at UFC 129 would have propelled him even further up the ladder; however, it was not meant to be. During training for the bout, Foster was accidentally struck in the groin by a training partner. The blow was significant enough that he eventually had to have one testicle removed.

An even more serious situation followed.

About a month and a half later, he received news he had failed his UFC 129 pre-fight physical.

Foster was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage that needed surgery to repair. His fight was off.

“It’s definitely the hard sparring that led to [the brain hemorrhage],” Foster told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “That’s probably the most crucial thing for a fighter is the hard sparring because you’ve got to simulate the fight the best you can. You’re going to take some injuries – the same as you are in a fight.”

Practicing how you hope to perform is an old sports adage, but in a physically demanding field such as MMA, it also comes with a great deal of risk.

A significant period of rest and recovery followed.

“They (UFC) wanted me to spend the proper amount of time on the sidelines,” Foster said. “That way they can make sure nothing was going to happen to me that was detrimental to my health and I wasn’t so much of a liability.”

Multiple doctors cleared him, and the UFC medically released him – essentially giving him permission to fight outside the promotion in order to stay busy and test out his body again.

“I kind of like the idea of them giving me this opportunity to step outside the organization,” Foster said. “You don’t want to come off of a six month layoff and have to jump right back in there with the best in the world.”

Cage Warriors, with whom manager Marc Fiore has a working relationship, was a perfect fit, and Foster was booked to face the submission specialist Mason.

Foster flew to England about three weeks prior to the fight to get acclimated to his surroundings. He finalized the latter stage of his training at The MMA Clinic.

Despite what most would characterize as a “tune-up” fight in front of him, Foster isn’t taking his opponent lightly.

“I’m not saying anything bad about Jack Mason,” Foster said. “The guy is a seasoned veteran, and he’s been looking for his golden ticket to the big show for a long time. I think he sees an advantage. If he beats me, he’s pretty much stamping his ticket.”

Conversely, a win over Mason should place Foster back into the UFC, where it has been roughly a year since he most recently competed.

It’s been a long (and scary) journey back to this point, but Foster is full speed ahead.

“When I got into this sport I knew it was real dangerous,” Foster said. “You take in all the negatives and you accept it.

“There’s nothing that’s going to stop me from doing what I love to do.”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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